The Aftermath
by Djana
Summary: Daemon's gone, Megabyte's been defeated, but, still, not all is happy. One sprite feels the whole war was her fault, and goes to extremes to prove it. COMPLETE warning: not a happy ending
1. Chapter 1

I don't own aything, it's not mine....  
  
"Sis? Sis. Are you ok?" Dot groaned, what time was it anyway?  
  
"I'm fine Enzo, I'll be up in a nano...."  
  
"But, sis, there are energy stains on your blanket, are you sure your alright?"  
  
"Yes, they must be old stains, sorry to disappoint you." Dot groaned as she got up, Enzo left with one more worried glance back at his sister. She smiled weakly at him. In truth, she felt awful, but she couldn't afford to take a second off. She booted into her 'war' uniform, although there was no need for it, she felt somehow safe in it. As if Megabyte had never....she shook her head, she didn't even want to think about that! Everyone had forgiven her, yet, she just couldn't forgive herself. She rubbed her arm under her glover, it really hurt , but there was nothing she could really do about it she had to keep this up, there was no other way. Suddenly, she heard a vid window pop into existence in the main room, and Enzo talking.  
  
"I'm serious Bob, I think something's wrong with her! She won't talk to me about anything! And there are energy stains." Dot almost laughed, it was nice that they cared, but it was annoying, and she couldn't take the chance that they might find out. She stepped into view.  
  
"I'm fine, Enzo, you needn't have worried Bob." She smiled at the vid window, where Bob looked out at her, a little suspicious. Bob knew Enzo wouldn't contact him on something without a lot of proof. He'd have to investigate this one a little.  
  
At work, Dot looked over all the files she was supposed to be organizing. It was too much work! She sighed and rubbed her temples, then her arm again.  
  
'You can't win, it's hopeless'  
  
'No! I can.....I....'  
  
'You see, even you realize, it's over, you end can it all.'  
  
Dot jerked upright, it was happening again, she was hearing him again. After all that had happened, she still wasn't totally rid of him! She knew only one way to get rid of the menacing voice. She locked her door, and pulled a knife from her desk drawer and pulled down her glove. Her arm was covered in scars, and now she added two more. She nearly screamed, the energy pouring from the two fresh cuts stung, but at least she didn't have to listen to that voice anymore. Truth be told, he did wish she could end it all, be delete and never have to feel pain again. But, she knew it would cause too much pain to the sprites she loved. She bound the new cuts and put her glove back on. Many people joked about only having one glove, and she went along with it. She didn't want anyone to guess her secret, she didn't want to cause them any more pain. It wasn't right to burden them with all of her problems. When the bleeding slowed, she unlocked her doors, and pretended to have been working.  
  
"Hey shugah, whatch ya up ta?" Mouse said as she casually sauntered through the doors. Dot smiled the best she could.  
  
"Hi Mouse, I was just on the accounts for the Mitchell's..." She looked down and realized that she was holding a spreadsheet of Mainframe's taxes. "I mean...the taxes." Mouse looked at her strangely, but shrugged it off.  
  
"Well, ah just came in ta tell ya that there's a meetin' at 10:00 for all the 'Senoir Staff' that includes us honey." Dot sighed, she'd have to face Bob. He was the almost the only one who noticed that something was up. As nice as it was that he cared, she didn't want to hurt him. It was better no-one knew.  
  
"Right Mouse, I'll be there."  
  
"'K honey, see ya there!" Mouse winked and left. The doors closed again behind her. Dot put her head down on her desk. All she really wanted to do was sleep, but she was afraid of what her dreams would be. A tear slipped down her check, she brushed it away impatiently.  
  
"This will do me no good, I have to get back to work!" She picked up the right file this time, and started working but, no matter how hard she concentrated, her processor just didn't seem to want to work. She put her head down on her desk again, maybe a little nap wouldn't hurt.....  
  
"Where is she? It's not like her to be late!"  
  
"Ah'm sure she's just finishin' up somethin', ya know how she is. She'll be along any nano." Mouse was leaning against the wall, sharpening her katana, Matrix was pacing with AndrAIa trying to calm him down, Bob was sitting down in a chair next to Pong. They were all waiting for Dot to show up so they could start the meeting, but, so far, they had been waiting fifteen micros, but still no Dot.  
  
"I'll go check in her office, see how much longer she's going to be." Bob said, and went out the door. He wanted to talk to Dot anyway, he had thought something was up, Enzo had confirmed it. He walked to her office and opened the doors. Dot was at her desk, but, she had her head down. Bob was worried for a few nanos, but then realized she was asleep. He smiled, she must be exhausted. That was probably the problem, she was working too much, like usual. He hated to wake her up, but, the meeting had to start soon. He crossed the room to wake her, when she screamed. Bob jumped, then ran the last couple steps to where was now awake, and trying to catch her breath. "Dot! Are you alright?" She looked at him in fear, then surprise.  
  
"Bob? What are you doing in here?"  
  
"I uh...came to get you, the meeting was supposed to start nearly 20 micros ago." Dot's eyes widened  
  
"Oh! Sorry...I don't know what happened...we'd better get going then." She closed her organizer and stood up, rubbing her head and arm a little. And started out. Bob shook his head, she was so determined to put work over health. They entered the meeting room, and Dot apologized, saying she was finishing up work, Bob just rolled his eyes, he should have known she wouldn't admit to have fallen asleep. The meeting went by slowly, discussing what was to happen to sector G-Prime and Lost Angles. They finally decided to try and renovate Lost Angles and see if they could make a sort of park out of it, in memory of everyone in both the Web wars and Daemon, it didn't seem fitting to do anything else with it now that Hex was gone.. G-Prime would be made into a residential section. Just as they were wrapping up with loose ends, he, the voice, came back to Dot.  
  
'Pity, isn't it? Not one of them cares for you.'  
  
'That's not true!....Is it?'  
  
'Of course it is, just look at them, they're more concerned with some peices of land then you, they would never notice if you disappeared.'  
  
'No! I...I can't believe that! They are better friends then that, they are!'  
  
'Believe what you want, but you'll see, your wrong, very wrong. Besides, isn't that what you wanted, no-one to notice, no-one to care? Hmmm? Thnk about that one.'  
  
Unfortunately, everyone did notice that Dot was not answering to them, and had a far off look in her eyes.  
  
"Dot, Dot ya ok honey?" Dot seemed to wake up, she blinked a few times, with a look of partially surprise and partially fear on her face.  
  
"Yeah...yes, I'm fine. Sorry, I must have zoned out there for a nano."  
  
"Are you sure your alright sis? You look a little weird." Matrix looked critically at his sister.  
  
"Yeah, just a headache. Listen, I think I'm going to go back to my office, can you continue without me?" Dot asked as she moved to get up.  
  
"Of course my child. If I may suggest something, maybe you would consider going home, you need rest."  
  
"It's alright Phong, I just need some java and I'll be fine, really." She got up and walked out of the room, trying to maintain composure. Inside her head, all she could hear was 'No one cares for you, and it's all your fault.'  
  
  
  
Bob watched Dot go, suspicious, something was defiantly wrong, everyone could see it. After that, they finished up quickly, no-one's mind seemed to be on the meeting anymore. The dispersed, going their different directions. AndrAIa and Matrix back home, Phong to his study, and Mouse pulled Bob into a room to talk.  
  
"Alright shugah, what's up with her?" Mouse asked, worried about her friend  
  
"You noticed it too Mouse?" Although Bob knew he shouldn't be surprised, he was at the bond the two women shared.  
  
"Listen, ah've been workin' here for what? Couple o' hours? An' not once has Dot admitted to being at all ill or tired! Even druin' the war, when she'd lost both you and her brother! Somethin's up with that gal. She needs ya Bob. Go to her." She almost laughed at the deja vu feeling of the situation.  
  
"Your right Mouse, I'll talk to her. Maybe she'll tell something, even not the whole thing." Privately he felt it would probably be a waste of time, Dot would not talk to him just because he asked politely, but, he had to try. For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was more then just a mood, it was something serious. He headed towards Dot's office.  
  
Dot was sitting in her office, crying and trying to get rid of the voice, of her enemy.  
  
'It's all your fault...you chose the wrong one, you caused him pain, you gave up on him, again, you turned your back on Bob when he needed you. Just like you let your brother down when he needed you, you turned him into this monster.'  
  
'He's not a monster, he's just had a hard childhood.'  
  
'And that's your fault, all your fault.'  
  
Dot sat there crying, finally, she reached for the knife again. The voices were getting more persistent, the were barely letting her alone, but, it helped a little. She pulled down her glove and cut two straight lines down her arm. But, because her vision was blurred, the lines were longer and deeper then she had meant them to be. Then, she heard someone approaching the door. She quickly pulled her glove up, so hastily she forgot to bind the cuts. The error that would cost her most though, was that she forgot to hide the knife, still wet with her energy. She tried to erase all signs of crying, and have a report of activities ready when the door swung open to reveal Bob. He had kept his promise, and he wanted to find out what was wrong.  
  
"Hey Dot, what's processing?" She looked up, and tried to smile, she really did, but it just wouldn't come, she noticed a strange wetness beneath her glove, and realized her mistake, that would, in the end, be fatal unless someone noticed. She decided this was her time. No one was going to notice, she wanted to leave this place. Then she smiled sadly at Bob, she'd miss him, and Enzo, both of them, but, it was for them best.  
  
"Not much, just...just checking activity reports." Bob had noticed she looked so....so pained and sad he wished she'd let him comfort her, but didn't want to over step his boundaries.  
  
"Dot..." he started, but he didn't want to sound as if he was trying to pry into her business, he had to word this carefully. "Maybe you should go home of you don't feel well."  
  
"Thank you for your concern, but, I think I'll cope." She was starting to feel faint, she wanted him out of here, and her plan was to do by being cool towards him. Not because she didn't care, but because she wanted it to end peacefully, alone. She looked around the room, trying to find something that would get him out of the room. That was when her eyes fell on the knife. She gasped sharply, it was in plain sight on her desk, it was only luck that Bob hadn't noticed it yet. Bob looked at her when she gasped, and saw an odd mix of fear, and a strange, peaceful finality in her eyes. He followed her gaze, and saw a knife on her desk. The knife had a layering of blue energy, and it was fresh, extremely fresh.  
  
"Dot," he said trying to stay calm, there had to be perfectly logical explanation to this. "What's that there for?" Dot searched around frantically for an excuse, any excuse, but her brain was just too fuzzy from loss of energy, she simply shrugged, and went back to work. Hoping against hope that he would forget about it, and go away. Bob didn't "Dot, I'd like an answer, why do you have a knife on your desk?" things started fitting together in Bob's head, everything fitted into place, there was only one possible explanation for this. But, he didn't want to accept that Dot was trying to delete herself, she just...couldn't be! It just wasn't possible. Suddenly, he focused back on reality for the reason that Dot was slumped on her desk. "Dot! Dot! Are you ok? Dot, wake up!" She lifted her head groggily.  
  
"I'm... I'm sorry Bob, I'm fine, just please, go..."  
  
"You are far from fine Dot, please, talk to me, what's wrong?" Dot couldn't hold it in any longer, her tears spilled over.  
  
"N...nothing...I...I'm fine...." Bob came around to her side of the desk, and knelt beside her. He out his arms around her, to hug her. Instead, he jerked from the wet underside of her glove. He reached up, and Dot puled her arm away from him. "No.. .please, jus...just leave."  
  
"No, I'm not leaving Dot, not until I see what in the net is going on!!" He had to see if his fears were confirmed, he didn't seem to notice he sluggish movement, and somewhat slurred speech. He reached for her gloved arm again. This time, she didn't pull away fast enough, he caught her lower arm, and pulled her glove down. Dot tried to shrink back, as Bob started at her arms. They were blue with energy that were pulsing from two long and deep cuts, but, it was painfully obvious that there were many others underneath it. Her glove was also saturated with energy. "Dot.....damnit, why?" he looked up for the answer, to see she had fainted from loss of energy, and the horror of having him, her best friend and love, finding out her darkest secret. "DOT!" he yelled. But, she didn't answer. Nor did she hear. 


	2. Chapter 2

Ok, here's the next chapter. I know, this one's a little weird, just, bear with me a while. Thanks  
  
Mouse ran in, after hearing Bob yell. She had been waiting outside for a response, not so close as to eavesdrop, but close enough to hear the general conversational tones. She nearly screamed herself at the sight, but stopped herself just in time. Bob was looking around frantically as if help would appear out of nowhere. Dot was slumped forwards in Bob's arms; Mouse could see trickles of energy falling from her arm. Dot also started fading, slowly at first, then, with in a few micros, she was flickering badly.  
  
"Bob, what happened?" She asked, keeping carefully controlled, someone had to be, and it didn't look like Bob or Dot was going to be.  
  
"I..I'm not totally sure." Bob said, looking at Mouse with a helpless look.  
  
"Well then, let's get Dot ta the infirmary; it looks like she might need some help!" Bob nodded, and portalled to the infirmary, leaving Mouse confused. She then turned and started running towards the infirmary to meet back up with him.  
  
At the infirmary, all the binomes stopped working when Bob seemingly appeared out of thin air with the COMMAND.COM lying, almost lifeless in his arms. This was not a normal occurrence. The doctors soon snapped out of it, and a nano later, they had ushered Bob to a bed, and were cleaning and binding Dot's arm. One took Bob aside to ask him what happened. Bob answered the best he could, but he was still a little in shock from the whole event.  
  
"Don't worry, Guardian, Ms. Matrix will most likely be fine. All she needs is some rest and an energy transfer." He said reassuringly  
  
"It's not her physical health I'm worried about" Bob replied grimly. The doctor had no reply for this. No one knew what had really been going through Dot's mind to make her do such a thing. Just then, mouse rushed in breathless.  
  
"Now," she said, pulling out her katana "Why doesn't somebody explain ta me what happened?"  
  
"Mouse!" Bob cried "It's all right, put your sword away"  
  
"Fine, but, ya'd better explain what the heck is goin' on!" She put her katana down, and went to stand in front of Bob "Now!" bob sighed and rubbed his head, he really couldn't deal with this at the moment. Mouse seemed to notice and soften. Finally, the doctor repeated what Bob had said to him. Bob sat by Dot's bed, holding hand while doctors and nurses scurried by to check on various things. Finally, after what seemed like milis, one of the nurses announced to Bob and mouse that they had been able to get Dot stabilized. She was no longer flickering but, she looked very pale.  
  
"But," she said "We need an energy transfer" Both Bob and Mouse agreed immediately. The machine was attached to Bob first. He flinched as it started, but, said nothing, a look of determination on his face. After a few micros, Dot's skin started to return to green. Bob's skin, however, turned a paler blue. The doctor turned the device off, sterilized it and attached it to Mouse. When they were done, Dot's skin looked much better, now a healthier green. The doctor sighed  
  
"There is little more we can do. The rest is up to Dot and her body to fix. There is only so much we can help with.." Mouse nodded  
  
"We understand. We know she'll get the best of care. Now, if ya don't mind, ah think we should inform the others of this 'change in plans'". The doctor nodded. Mouse nearly dragged Bob out of the room. "Come on Bob, we have ta tell Phong and Matrix at least. They care about her too." Bob sighed  
  
"I know, I know.it's just, she scares me at times..I still don't know what drove to such.extreme actions. I wish she'd just let others help.I should have done something, anything! I should have known something was wrong, I should have..."  
  
"Shugah, there are things we all shoulda done, but, we didn't. Now, we have ta work with what we have now, and do all we can to help Dot. The first thing is ta inform Phong so he can take over the duties of the COMMAND.COM and second is ta tell Matrix, so she can at least have one brother with her. We should wait until Enzo gets outta school until we tell him." She noticed bob staring at her "What?"  
  
"You just seem so.so controlled."  
  
"Ah'm better at hidin' ma feelin's then many people. So sue me. Now, we gotta get movin'. The sooner we do this, the sooner we can get back." They moved towards Phong's office. Not looking forward top being the bearers of such news.  
'Where am I? Am I deleted?' She looked around, it was so dark, but, it wasn't cold, in fact, it was almost too warm. Suddenly, light burst out, causing her to be nearly blinded. When she'd blinked away the afterimages of the light, she saw in front of her three pathways. Ok, now this is getting weird. Three figures were standing, presumably one for each pathway. One by one, they became clearer. At the pathway to the left was Bob, the middle one was Hex and the far right one was Megabyte. She shook her head, how was this possible? One of these sprites was alive, one deleted and the other fragmented! Bob spoke first  
  
"I am the path to both light and dark, joy and sorrow, to pleasure and pain, I am life. Though its road is not always easy, it is a challenge and rewards are at the end." Hex was next  
  
"My path is away from those you love, you will not meet up with them. But, it is a pleasant walk. You need not face pain or sorrow again. I am deletion. Its road is easy, but, lonely if it is not your time. Your time is far away still." Then Megabyte smiled  
  
"I am the path you will always take. Because you have failed to do anything. You failed to be there for your loved ones. You've failed to recognize love, you've even failed o truly delete your enemy. You will pay mistakes this time. You will come down this path, because, you don't want to return to pain, nor do you want to leave your family. If you come with me, you can wait for them. It will, however will be a long one. We have to.speed it up shall we say?" he smirked at Dot, seeing the revulsion on her face.  
  
'How am I supposed to choose? I want to see Bob and Enzo again, but, I don't want to go back to pain and sorrow, and I don't want to pass the time waiting with Megabyte. But, I don't want to be a cause for grief..What do I do???' Finally, the green skinned sat down and cried the tears she had been holding in, but, this time, there was no one there to comfort her.  
"She WHAT????" Matrix was not a happy sprite. Mouse and Bob had already delivered the news to Phong, who had hung his head, and thanked them for telling him, and that he would once more take over Dot's duties as COMMAND.COM. Matrix was not taking it that well.  
  
"Please, Sparky, calm down, you can't help her if you yell like that!' AndrAIa pleaded with him, tears in her eyes threatening to spill over. Finally, Matrix stopped shouting and waving Gun around. Instead, he sat down, trying not to cry, "Why?" he whispered "Why did this have to happen?" No one had an answer to that question. At that point, everyone seemed to loose composure and crumple into their own worlds for a few micros. Until.  
  
WARNING, INCOMING GAME. WARNING, INCOMING GAME  
  
Bob gasped "It's coming down, right over the infirmary!" They all rushed over, only to see the nurses desperately getting the patients out. But, as the doctor had explained earlier to Bob and Mouse, they didn't want to move Dot, no matter what. "This is bad, very bad!" Bob muttered as the game cube slammed down. With it, only five sprites were left to defend the systems and themselves. One of those five was coming nearer to deletion every nano. 


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the delay! Here is the next chapter. I'll try and do better on the next one with regard to timing.  
  
"All right, game, delete the User, rescue the princess. Bob said, as he looked around. The level that they were on was beautiful, with tall, lush trees, and colourful flowers and birds and animals going about daily business chattering to one another. The beauty was lost on the three sprites. They were stuck, with a life lying on the line, and one out of their number, Mouse having missed the cube's path.  
  
"Let's get this over with!" Matrix growled as he switched his icon to normal, Guardian mode.  
  
"Reboot!' They all double clicked their icons. When the green light faded, they looked around each other/. They all were wearing basic knight costumes, chest plates, sword and shield. The only exception was AndrAIa who had a slitted skirt instead of breeches as the other two did.  
  
"Alright Bob, what's the plan?" AndrAIa asked. Bob started at her blankly  
  
"You're joking, right?" AndrAIa shook her head, looking serious, Bob sighed  
  
"Right, here's the plan, you two go, find and delete the User. I'll find Dot, we know she's in the game, and most probably will need help. Deal?" they both nodded  
  
"Deal" they said in unison "Well," AndrAIa said "You aren't going to get very far standing there. Go on!" She gave him a little push towards the castle in the distance.  
  
"Ri..right, see you back in Mainframe!" They were all trying to be more cheerful then they felt, knowing what dangers it would cause if they lost their wits in a game, even a fairly easy one like this. They went off their separate ways, each with the same fear in their mind.  
  
"OK, so, the infirmary was right in front of us, therefore, she must be in the castle, which is right in front of me.right?" Bob shrugged, it was as good a guess as any, and started to head towards the castle. Just then, Glitch beeped, and showed a new position. "Oh no! She's rebooted! That means she's in a viable position for the user to attack!" He ran towards where Glitch specified her icon to be.  
  
*****  
  
Suddenly, a jolt shook Dot from her ether world crying. She slowly opened her eyes, almost afraid to find out where she was. She realized she was still alive. A small part of her was relived, but, mostly, she was sad, she didn't want to be back. It took a couple moments to realize that she was in a game. She looked around. Her room could hardly be more opposite of her feelings if it had tried. It was pastel pinks and blues. She grimaced at it. 'Oh well' she thought 'If I'm here, I have to at least try to help!' she double clicked her icon "Reboot!" she was enfulged in green, but, she screamed out in pain as the light suddenly turned red, and hurt her more then anything she could remember. She then thought no more as the darkness took her into a dreamless sleep.  
  
*****  
  
"Why * pant * does she have to be on tallest tower in the highest room?" Bob answered his question the next nano. "Duh, she must've rebooted as the princess!" He was talking to himself, he knew that, but, he was trying to keep his wits about him, and stick to thinking about the game until they got out, he couldn't worry about what was happening. He hadn't met any game sprites, but, as he kept reminding himself, that didn't mean that there were none. He kept a sharp eye out for them. When he finally reached the top, he realized why he hadn't met any. They were all guarding the room. He sighed in frustration, there had to be 20 of them, he could never get past all o them on his own. He tried to calm down, think of a plan. 'Who am I kidding? Trying to think of a plan like I'm.Dot.' He sighed again. She had to be behind the doors, but he had no way of getting to her. Then, he remembered the last time he thought she'd rebooted as the damsel in 'distress', and the command he'd used. "Glitch, BS'n'P!" He slipped through the wall, without the game sprites noticing him. He was immediately blinded by the brightness that the room seemed to generate, typical princess room, pastel pink with blue accents. What really surprised him was Dot. She was lying, sleeping peacefully. But, instead of regular princess garb, pink or some other silly coloured dress that was impossible to do anything in, she wore a simple well-fitted dress, a little low cut. It was the rusty colour of dried blood, with a black trim. The sleeves were long and full, hiding all evidence of what had passed. Her hair was blacker then it had been, seeming to drown the light. It was longer, down to her waist and spread out like wings. Her skin was so pale, it was almost white, and flickering every now and then. The paleness made her make up, black lip paint and eye shadow, stand out. The effect was morbidly lovely, like a deadly beauty.  
  
Bob walked up to the bed, a little cautious in case of traps, but he had no trouble. He sat down beside Dot, removing a stray lock of hair from her forehead. To add to his surprise, she was cold, alarming after having a high fever. He quickly checked for life signs, to be relived she was on line, but only just. Her pulse was weak, but steady, and her breathing was erratic. Dot didn't wake up, or even move throughout the whole process. Suddenly, something hit Bob, shouldn't she be awake if she rebooted? And, she shouldn't have been able to reboot in her current state! You had to be running at least 60%, she couldn't have been running at more then 40%. A chill ran through him. Something was going on, something he didn't know about, but something he had to know. He tried to wake Dot up gently by calling her name, but she didn't respond at all. Not a twitch or a muscle spasm. He tried a little louder, still nothing. He started getting frantic, shaking her.  
  
"Dot! Wake up! This isn't funny anymore!" When he got to this point, Glitch whirred and beeped in a language only Bob could really understand. Bob nodded, and answered his keytool. "Yes, yes that would work, thanks Glitch!" He had been reminded of the standard procedure of waking up sleeping royalty. Gently, he once more leaned down, and pressed his lips slowly against Dot's. She woke up, and jerked back. This was not the reaction Bob had hoped for, but at least she was awake. She looked at Bob, surprise at first, then recognition.  
  
"Why?" She asked, "Why did you do it? Why not just let me go?" Bob was startled by the question. It took him a few minutes to work out the meaning of it.  
  
"What do you mean 'why'? Because I care to much about you to let you go without a fight!" Dot looked at him, and the look was something that could pierce anything, not cold, but it seemed as if she was looking straight into his files, reading his thoughts. Bob shivered a little.  
  
"Well you shouldn't! Why should you? I hurt you1 I cast you aside for.for him!" She sat up and glared at him with surprising strength, though tears fell indifferently. He tried to calm her, anything to keep her here, with him. He gently made her lie down again, and wiped up the worst of the tears that still ran unchecked. Then, he slid down next to her, for comfort and security, something she could hold onto.  
  
"Yes Dot, you did, I'm not going to lie to you, it did hurt. But, you know what? I forgive you! I understand why you did what you did; I know what you went through. Not first hand mind you, but I do understand. And you know what?" He turned her to face him, she shook her head. "I still love you, nothing should ever change that." He leaned to kiss her. She turned her head, and refused to accept it.  
  
"I know you have, that what's makes it even worse." Suddenly, her eye opened wide, her breathing stopped, and she mouthed 'No'. She began to shake, all over. Suddenly Bob realized that AndrAIa and Matrix were taking an awful long time to win what had seemed like an easy game. He hoped they won soon; he didn't have nearly enough skills to help Dot. And that's what nearly killed him. He was helpless to help the one he loved.  
  
*****  
  
I love her pain. It makes me feel alive. As alive as I can be in the Ethernet. If I can break this group up from beyond the grave, my function is complete. I will be true to my programming. A predator, hunting only the weak and helpless. Besides, she will hurt the system most. Her scream is the music in my life. I am determined she will come to join me.  
  
*****  
  
"Matrix, please, stop hitting him, and delete him! I know you have anger problems." the User's sword whizzed past her head, just barely missing her, "But, your sister needs help, immediately! Now! As in, not later!" The helmet banged against the wall beside her, with great enough force to create a huge dent. The words "Game over" echoed, as they were transported back inside the principal office. She looked around, to find her lover running, hell-bent towards the infirmary. She followed as fast as she was able. She was already picking up signs of distress. She could hear the accent that was Mouse, hopping from having just missed the cube, yelling something, as she got closer, she could hear better.  
  
".ain't what ah wanna hear! Now, y'all better have some good news, or else, somethin' is gonna be hittin' floor, an' it ain't gonna be the sword!" She ran harder, if Mouse was upset, it was something big.  
  
*****  
  
Doctors had rushed in as soon as the game left, ushering bob from his spot, assuring him that it was 'only' a seizure, they knew what they were doing, she would be fine. However, Bob very much doubted that Dot would ever be 'fine' again. 


	4. Chapter 4

I'm really really really sorry for the wait. Just to warn, this is not to be a happy feel-good sorry.  
  
Dot was in a void there was nothing around here, not even colour. She'd always assumed that if she was ever in this situation, it would either be very bright or very dark, but it was neither. It was just nothing. As far as she could tell, she wasn't even really there, she had no body with which to move and explore, only a mind with which to think and contemplate. Suddenly, three figures appeared, with three roads behind them. One was smirking evilly at her, one smiling softly, and one with a neutral mask on. Why are you here again?"  
  
"We aren't. We are but figments of your mind. Here is where you must decide. There are three paths, which will you take?" The voice came from nowhere, but everywhere. "You don't need to understand. Which path will you choose?" Dot turned back to the three paths. To the far right was a path with Bob at the front. Just like the other two, he wasn't moving, simply watching her. In the middle was Hex of a people, neutral mask on, but still looking sprite like. On the far left, was her enemy for so long, Megabyte. His face was contorted into a mask of hate and superiority.  
  
She sat, trying to figure what all this meant, other then she was going crazy and hallucinating from blood loss. But if she was hallucinating, why was it always the same image?  
  
*****  
  
"I'm sorry, but, although she should really be fine, her blood loss wasn't that great, neither were her wounds, but, her mind seems to have almost given up. She's lost the will to keep processing. Unless she can find to come back to, there's nothing we can do." The doctor bowed to the group, and left them in silence. Matrix was the first to beak it.  
  
"ARRRGH! That's not good enough! I'm going to get that doctor and..." He stopped. AndrAIa had caught his arm, her head bowed to cover her eyes.  
  
"Sparky, that's not going to help... you know that. We can only go to see her, and pray." Matrix's rage abruptly stopped, his head falling as well, he left to visit his sister.  
  
"Is there really nothing we can do except wait, Phong?"  
  
"My child, this is something that only Dot and the User can help with. However, someone must see to Enzo, he'll be getting out of school soon, and may need someone."  
  
"Ah'll go, it's the least ah can do." Mouse left to go break the news to Dot's younger younger brother, her older younger brother already being at her bedside.  
  
"Bob, perhaps you will also want to be there for Enzo, at least until you can see Dot."  
  
"Alright Phong." Bob also moved to leave. "But, Dot knows we're here for her, always, doesn't she, she knows she has to came back?" Phong shook his head mournfully  
  
"Only the User can answer that, my child... but, I belief that it may well be time to say... goodbye." Bob's head dropped as he headed out of the room.  
  
*****  
  
"But, sis is just sick, right? She'll be better soon, right?" Both Bob and Mouse tried to smile at he young sprite. Naïve as h was, he didn't need to be exposed to the real world just yet.  
  
"Of course she will Enzo. You know your sister, she was just working too hard, she'll be fine in no time!"  
  
"Yah! And then, we'll make 'er take some time off, how's that sound?"  
  
"Great! Alphanumeric! Then she could go jet balling with me!" at that point, both older sprites at the younger ones enthusiasm.  
  
*****  
  
"Have you made your choice?"  
  
"I...I don't know..."  
  
"Then it will be made for you. Your path is."  
  
*****  
  
She will be here soon; I can feel her fear of returning, of facing them again. I can taste her tears. She's breaking.  
  
*****  
  
"C'mon sis! You have to wake up! Don't care that if you go, everyone will break? And I mean everyone! Me, AndrAIa, Enzo, Phong, Mouse, Hack, Slash, even Ray! Bob... well you know Bob; he'll just blame himself. He loves you Dot, he does, and I know you love him! Please..." He couldn't go on, the lump in his throat had grown to big. But he wouldn't cry, he couldn't. He was incapable of tears. He felt AndrAIa wrap her arms around his neck to draw his head down to rest on her shoulder. Dot's skin was growing slowly paler and her heartbeat simply slowing down. They walked out to let Bob know.  
  
*****  
  
Bob now sat alone beside Dot. She was worse, much worse. So much worse that everyone had been brought in to say their good-byes. Even Enzo. The young did not seem to be taking it well, but then, why should he? Dot and Matrix were the only blood family he had. He watched the monitor as showed Dot slowly disappearing. The doctors had done all they could, he wouldn't blame them. He blamed himself, and Dot. It was silly, blaming a sprite for deleting when she was still processing, but there was almost no question now. She was being selfish dammit! Leaving them alone, to relieve her pain! He knew he was being hasty and unreasonable, but he couldn't lose her, not now. He heard a beep, the heart monitor noting a change, her eyes opened. "DOT!"  
  
"Bob, I just wanted say... goodbye."  
  
"No, you're going to be fine, now that you're awake. You're invincible Dot! You lived through Megabyte, Daemon, and the improved Megabyte! You are amazing!"  
  
"This isn't a movie-file Bob, you know we didn't survive without sacrifice, this'll just be one more."  
  
"If your trying to get me to belief that all of this was a self sacrifice, just to save the citizens of Mainframe, it's not working."  
  
"You were right you know, I am being selfish. But, I just can't take life anymore."  
  
"But... what about Matrix? Enzo? Mouse? Dot, what about me? Don't we count for anything?"  
  
"Yes, my family, please, tell them goodbye." Dot's eyes closed and shivered. Her body convulsed once, and then disappeared, leaving only an icon and the outline on the bed of a sprite that for time in her life, had totally given up.  
  
*****  
  
Once again, I failed to torment her for eternity, but, I know they will all feel the pain they gave me many times over, all them. Whether they live or not.  
  
*****  
  
The life I led was full of regrets. Regret that I was unable to save people. First my father, then Bob, then my little brother, AndrAIa and Frisket. I was unable to save Mainframe once these people had disappeared. Even when my brother returned, I regretted that I was unable to save him from the hardship that befell him and his friends. When my plan against Daemon failed to work, I regretted that I was unable to save Hex, much as we didn't get along. After Daemon, I regretted that I was unable to tell who was the true Bob. If I had, maybe things would've gone differently, but it was like the one thing that would just break me. We won, but, we didn't see Frisket again, we gave up hope that he'd survived, and I regretted not being able to save him. Now, I have no life to live. I am stuck between worlds, neither a ghost nor a spirit that has moved on. I regretted my indecisiveness. I am forced to watch those I left behind with my own selfishness move about their own lives, unable to see, feel or hear me. Maybe, once they move on, they will take me with them. More likely, I fear, is that I will just be stuck here, until the end of our world and beyond. Eternally wandering and lost. 


End file.
